Signal propagation characteristics over a transmission channel are typically non-uniform throughout the electromagnetic spectrum. Different equalizers, including for example one or more of a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) and a feed forward equalizer (FFE), each filtering signals in a different manner, may be used at the receiving end of a transmission channel to compensate for signal loss and to reduce interference among signals defining digitally transmitted symbols. Typically the different equalizers are used in series and are each tuned independently, so that one or more of the equalizers achieve a generally flat response, for example by adjusting tap weights, in an effort to optimize received signal integrity.